Meet your Louth celebrity – the 2023 Nose of Tralee Runner Up Winston.
Name: Winston
County: Louth
Age: 5 (15/04/2018)
Breed: Aussalier (mini Australian shepherd X Cavalier King Charles
Special Skill: Navigating the world as a blind dog.
Favourite Food: Winston would sell his soul for a sniff of chicken 🍗
Favourite Toy: A fox teddy he has had since he was a puppy. It has seen better days as Winston has nibbled a hole into its nose!
Favourite Place to Sleep: On the couch beside his humans.
Favourite Activity: Winston loves food puzzles, hanging out with his humans, and going for walks on the beach.
Favourite Place To Go For A Walk/Hangout: Winston loves the beach. The open space means he can run around without bumping into things, there is lots to sniff, and he enjoys chasing sticks and balls into the water.
Most Mischievous Thing You Have Ever Done? He has been known to stick his nose in an open fridge/treat press at any given opportunity.
How Did You Come Into Your Owners Life? I had previously dogsat for Winston’s lovely family back in Canada in 2019 and fell in love with him. They made the hard decision to rehome him in 2020 and I was delighted to adopt him.
What Makes You The Most Pawtastic Pet Ever! He is great fun to have around the house and is always making us laugh. He’s up for any adventure and loves to join us when we go out and about.
Why Did You Decide To Enter The Nose Of Tralee? I came across the competition on Facebook and thought it would be a bit of fun to enter Winston.
How Did You Prepare For The Contest And Get Votes? We mostly shared the link to the voting page on Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp groups. I would share daily stories of Winston and ask our followers to vote. We asked everyone we knew to help spread the word, so WhatsApp groups and work chats got busy, and I got in touch with some local businesses and newspapers who also helped to campaign. We also attended the Dundalk Dog Rescue ‘Paws in the Park’ event and got talking to other dog lovers.
What Did You Enjoy Most About The Nose Of Tralee? It was a fun way to celebrate Winston and I thought it as a great way to meet other dog lovers.
What Advice Would You Give To The Next Nose Of Your County? Just enjoy it all!
How Are You Handling Your New-Found Fame? Loving every minute of it!
If You Could Be Any Super Hero Who Would You Be? Winston would be the Bark Knight 😂
Where Can Your Fans Follow You Online? We share Winston’s life on Instagram at winstontheaussalier
What does it mean to you to be the Runner Up of the Nose of Tralee? This time last year Winston was had gotten very sick and had lost his eyesight suddenly. To see him only a year later healthy and happy living in Ireland means the world. Seeing him fly the flag for the wee county as the Louth Nose of Tralee shows how far he has come and how much support is behind him.
